Ladder



E. F. EVANS.

7 v LADDER.

APPLICATION FILE-D NOV. 1, 1920- 1,400, 18 11. Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

2 SHEETS-$HEET I. ia g 2 Mme:

-E. F. EVANS.

LADDER.

APPLICATION FILE D NOV. 1. 1920- I 1 5400,4181. ed Dec. 13, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I I V E FZ E ENTOR flm ATTORNEY WITNESS EDWARD FRANCIS EVANS, OF PHOENIX, ARIZONA.

LADDER.

' Specification of Letters Eatcnt.

Application filed November 1, 1920. Serial No. 421,042.

To all whom it may @091 com Be it known that I, EDWARD F. EVANS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Phoenix, in the county or Maricopa and State ot Arizona, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ladders, or which the following is a specification.

My present invention has reference to an improvement in ladder construction and may be considered in the nature of an attachment whereby two ladder sections may be adjusted one on the other and effectively held in such adjusted position.

further object is the production of a device of this character in which shoe members carried by one ladder section are spring influenced into contacting engagement with the other ladder section, thus providing b means between the sections for holding one section adjusted on the ot ier section.

4: still further object is the production of means for permitting longitudinal adjustment of one ladder section on another ladder section, in which means is provided for preg the lateral movement or the section, cer ..in of said means being carried by brake shoes which are hingedly connected to one oi. the ladder sections and influenced by ig's means on the said section for holdtne same in frictional engagement with t second ladder section, whereby to permit oi the adjustment oi the last mentioned section on the first mentioned section in one dircc on and to hold the said last mentioned section against movement on the first mentioi d section in an opposite direction.

1 t1 1 turtner object is the production of lOClQH means in the nature of brake shoes carried by mechanism connected with one ladder section 'i'cr engaging with another ladder section to hold the last mentioned section against movement on the first mentioned section in one direction, means being also provided for swinging the shoes out of engagement with the last mentioned ladder section to permit of the same being moved in either direction over the first mentioned section.

The foregoing objects, and others which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, may be accomplished by a construction, combination and operative arrangement of parts, such. as is disclosed by the drawings.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation illustrating the application of the improvement.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. is a rear elevation thereof.

Fig. i is a sectional view approximately on the line i i of Fig. 1. i

Fig. 5 is a sectional view approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view approximately on the line 6-t5 of Fig. 2.

Both of the ladder members or sections employed in the construction illustrated, are of the usual construction, that is each coinprises substantially rectangular stiles and rounds connecting the stiles.

As one of the ladder members or sections is to remain on the ground, the same will be referred to as the stationary section and is indicated by the numeral 1. The second sec tion has its stiles contacting with. the outer faces of the stiles oi the fixed section, and being movable thereon will be referred to as the movable section. This section is indi cated by the numeral Fixed to the movable section 2, adjacent to the lower ends thereof are plates 8 that have their outer ends inturned, as at l, to contact with the inner edges of the stiles of the fixed ladder section 1, and the said inturned portions 4: are provided with inwardly extending lips 5 that engage with the inner faces of the said stiles oi the fixed section.

On the inner faces of the stiles'of the fixed section, preferably, but not necessarily, adjacent to the top thereof, there is secured opposed bearing members 6. Through these members 6 there are passed the parallel end portions 7 of a substantially U-shaped yoke 8 that receives the ladder section 2. The portions 7 have inturned ends 9 to which is pivotally connected the arched or curved rod 10. This rod 10, instead of being arched or curved, may be straight and may be cen trally formed with a depending portion in the nature of a lip which is engaged by the hooked end 11 of a bolt member 12. Swiveled, or otherwise connected to one of the rounds 13 of the fixed ladder section 1 is a substantially ill-shaped member 14-, the arms of whcih have threads at their outer ends. On the arms of the member 1% there are spaced plates 15 and 16 respectively. The outer plates 15 contact with nuts 17 that are secured; on the outer ends of the said member 14. Both of the plates have central openings therethrough through which pass thebolt members. The end of: the bolt member 12is engaged by a nut 18 that contacts with the inner plate, while surrounding the bolt andi contacting with both of the plates is a heli cal spring 20. This mechanism provides means for normally swinging the yoke 8 in one direction.

The numeral 22 indicates shoe members. Each shoe has its outer straight face centrally notched as at 22 and in these notches are received the outer straight or connecting portion 21 for the arms of the substantially U-shaped yoke 8; Each of the shoes has its inner face provided with a compressible plate 23, and each of the shoes has its'outer face formedwith' a fiangeor provided with av plate 24 that contacts with the outer faces of the stiles-of the slidable ladder sectionQ.

The shoes 20 meet a width corresponding to the thickness of the stiles of theslid'able ladder section 2, and the said shoes are held against movement on the yoke in any desired or preferred manner, such for instance as by the contacting engagement of the said shoes with the side'members or arms of the yoke. The outer straight member of the yoke may be journaled in bearingsin. the shoes'or may be" received in recesses on the outer faces of the said shoes.

On'the outer sides of thestiles of the fixed ladder'section 1, are angle bracket's'25, the same being inthe path of engagement with the side members of the yoke, and these brackets serveas means whereby'one finger of theoperator may engage with one of the brackets, theother finger on the same hand the ladder section 2, and move thesame longitudinally' over'the ladder section 1, thus positioning the section 2 in proper position on thesection 1. A release of pressure on the yoke will permit of the spring means influencing the said yoke to cause the shoes to be brought into frictional contact with the stiles of the movable ladder section 2. When so engaged the section 2 cannot be moved downwardly on the section 1, asthe arms of the yoke are arranged at a downward angle, and a pressure of the shoes thereagainst would only tend to force the said shoes into tighterfrictionah engagement with the stiles of the ladder section 2. Y

The improvement is extremely simple, may be readily attached to ladders of the ordinary construction to convert the $511116 into adjustablemembers, is strong and will positively prevent the accidental downward sliding of'the movable ladder section on the fixed ladder'section;

Having thus described the invention, what through both of the plates, a nut on the bolt contacting with the lower plate, a spring surrounding the bolt and contacting with both" of the plates, shoes journaled on the outer member of the yoke, compressible plates on the inner faces of the shoes and contacting with the outer faces of the stiles of the movable ladder section, flanges on the shoes'contacting with the outer faces of the" said stiles, anglebrackets on the fixed ladder section adjacent to the side arms of the yoke, and a fixed guide member on the,

movable section partly surrounding the stiles of the fixed sectlon.

In testlmony whereof I afiiX-my signature.

EDWARD FRANCIS EVANS. 

